Packaging machine infeed device

ABSTRACT

The device includes selectively operable article re-orienting means, allowing groups of articles to be packed together in a variety of orientations using a single standard packaging machine. An infeed conveyor carries the articles in a predetermined orientation using a single standard packaging machine. An infeed conveyor carries the articles in a predetermined orientation in a plurality of lanes. A group collator comprising a set of lane brakes and a movable backstop aligns a group of articles in one or more rows transverse to conveyor. A paddle transfers the group to the packaging machine. The re-orienting means turn a sub-group of articles making up the group to a specified orientation for such transfer, each article sub-group being turned about a respective axis normal to the plane of the infeed conveyor.

This invention relates to a device for supplying groups of articles to apackaging machine. The articles concerned are of the kind that must begrouped together oriented in a particular direction, for example becausethey are rectangular in plan, perhaps with printed graphics that must bepresented in a display case in a particular orientation. Typical of sucharticles are aseptic primary packs for milk or fruit juice, althoughmany other articles present the same problems. The retail trade isbecoming ever more insistent upon receiving product in a variety ofprimary pack designs, each intended to be supplied to the customer in aparticular orientation within secondary packaging.

Often, an end-of-line packaging machine will be capable of receivingarticle groups in one orientation only. The whole production line willtherefore be dedicated to that style of article alone. Where it ispossible to adjust the packaging machine to accommodate differentarticle styles and orientations, setting up for a new production runwill usually be time-consuming. There is thus a need for packagingmachinery capable of readily packaging groups of articles in a varietyof different orientations and configurations.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,742 (Thomas) concerns a system for stacking buildingblocks or bricks wherein the blocks are carried by an infeed conveyor inabutting rows and columns. At the end of the infeed conveyor a group ofblocks again consisting of abutted rows and columns is separated fromthe remainder on the infeed conveyor and transferred to three abuttingre-orientation tables rotatable about vertical axes. The outer tablesare also shiftable laterally to provide clearance for such rotation. Themechanical drive arrangements for transferring the blocks to and fromthe tables and for laterally shifting and rotating the tables, arerelatively complex. Moreover the apparatus is not readily adaptable tosuit different block sizes and desired packing configurations.

DE-A-2427818 discloses a case emptying machine having features asspecified in the preamble of claim 1. Specifically the infeed conveyorcomprises several divergent conveyors each carrying a lane of articles.The group collator comprises a further conveyor running transversely ofthe discharge ends of the infeed conveyors, and which also serves asmeans for transferring article groups out of the machine. There-orienting means comprise turning fingers positioned above the furtherconveyor.

The present invention provides an infeed device for a packaging machinecomprising:

an infeed conveyor carrying articles in a plurality of lanes to a groupcollator with the articles in a predetermined orientation;

wherein the group collator in use aligns a group of articles in one ormore rows transverse to the infeed conveyor's direction of travel;

means for transferring the article group to the packaging machine;

re-orientating means being provided to turn sub-groups of articles inthe group to a specified orientation for such transfer, each articlesub-group being turned about a respective axis normal to the plane ofthe infeed conveyor, and at least one adjacent pair of the lanes ofarticles being spaced from one another on the infeed conveyor to allowturning of the sub-groups, characterised in that the lanes are paralleland the article transfer means comprises a pusher arranged to push thegroup of articles transversely off the infeed conveyor and into thepackaging machine.

Each article sub-group may contain only one article, only one row ofarticles, or multiple rows and columns of articles, for example 2×2articles. Preferably the articles in the group are arranged in two rowsand six columns, each sub-group containing 2×2 articles. Alternativelythe same article group may be divided into two sub-groups side-by-side,each containing 2×3 articles. The number of rows and columns in thegroup can be varied as desired, e.g. 1×6, divided into three sub-groupsof 1×2 articles each, or 3×6, divided into two sub-groups of 3×3articles each.

The re-orienting means may be selectively operable to turn the articlesthrough 90° or allow them to pass from the transfer means in theiroriginal orientation. It may comprise turning heads engageable with thearticles in each subgroup and rotatable about vertical axes tore-orientate the article subgroups. The turning heads may depend from avertically reciprocable frame, whereby they may be moved selectivelybetween operative and inoperative positions.

Each article sub-group is preferably engaged by an appropriatelyconfigured turning head attached to selected shafts of a gearbox formingpart of the frame. Others of the gearbox shafts may remain redundant,the selected and redundant shafts varying depending on the group andsub-group configurations in use. Alternatively all the gearbox shaftsmay be used where necessary.

The group collator may space the group from the remaining articles andmay comprise a backstop to arrest the movement of articles on the infeedconveyor and align them in the transverse rows, and a respective lanebrake for engaging an article in each lane a predetermined number ofarticles away from the backstop, the backstop being movable in theinfeed conveying direction to space the article group from the brakedarticles.

The backstop may be used to consolidate the group of articles into acompact array in the infeed conveying direction followingre-orientation, and the transfer means may similarly be used toconsolidate the group in the transverse direction, whether or notre-orientation has occurred.

These and other preferred features of the invention will be furtherunderstood from the following description of an illustrative embodimentmade with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows various pack styles that may all be readily produced usingthe infeed device of the present invention in conjunction with astandard wrap-around packaging machine;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the general layout of a packaging machine andan infeed device embodying the present inventions configured for articlesubgroups containing only one article;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the re-orientating and transfer meansof the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the re-orientating means of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5--5 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5, but with the transfer andre-orientating means in alternative positions;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view showing the re-orientating means on anenlarged scale, the transfer means being omitted for clarity;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8--8 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a scrap view on arrow B in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a gearbox of the re-orientating means, shownpartially broken away;

FIG. 11 is an elevational view showing the transfer means on an enlargedscale;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view on line 12--12 in FIG. 11;

FIGS. 13a and 13b schematically show sequences of steps in there-orientation of an array of articles using the device of the precedingfigures;

FIG. 14 is an elevational view of modified re-orientating means,corresponding to FIG. 7 but configured for subgroups of 2×2 articles;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken on line 15--15 of FIG. 14,corresponding to FIG. 8; and

FIG. 16 schematically shows a sequence of steps in the reorientation ofa group of articles using the device of FIGS. 14 and 15.

FIG. 1 schematically shows various pack designs containing groups ofprimary packages indicated in dotted lines. The pack contents may havetwo different orientations: either with their long sides aligned withthe longitudinal axis of the pack (as shown on the left of the figure)or with their long sides transverse to the pack axis (as in theremaining packs illustrated). The present device allows standardpackaging machines such as the applicant's `System 1200` range toproduce both orientations, and readily switch between one orientationand the other.

The infeed device 10 of FIG. 2 is arranged to feed articles 12 to apackaging machine 14, the articles being arranged in groups 16 for theapplication of packaging material 18. The packaged groups leave themachine 14 by a discharge conveyor 20. Device 10 comprises a flat beltconveyor 22, moved continuously in the direction of arrow A. Thearticles 12 are supplied with their short sides leading, from aproduction line 24 down a chute 26 reciprocated across the width of theconveyor 22 by opposed actuators 28. The articles are marshalled intosix parallel lanes by guides 30 adjustably mounted above the surface ofconveyor 22 and are allowed to accumulate in queues against a backstop32. A set of lane brakes 34 at the forward end of the guides 30 can beused to hold stationary the third article from the front of each queue.The backstop 32 can be moved forward in the direction of arrow A toseparate the first two rows of articles from the remainder held by thelane brakes. Transfer means 36 and re-orientating means 38 can then beused to load the separated group of 2×6 articles into the machine 20.The backstop 32 can then be returned to its rearward position and thelane brakes 34 released, allowing the articles forward to form the nextgroup.

The transfer means 36 and re-orientating means 38 are furtherillustrated in FIGS. 3-6. A rodless actuator 40 extends across theconveyor 22 above the articles 12 and carries a paddle 42 movable fromthe position shown in solid lines to the dotted line position 42' topush the group of articles 22 in the direction of arrow C, FIG. 2, intothe packaging machine 14. The paddle can be raised to a position 42"during its return stroke, to allow the next group of articles 22 to moveforward simultaneously.

The re-orientating means includes an article engaging frame 44 that canbe lowered to the position shown in full lines in FIGS. 5 and 6 toengage and turn the group of articles, or raised to a position 44' shownin dotted lines, where articles 12 are free to pass underneathunaffected.

Referring to FIGS. 7-10, the article re-orientating means 38 is shown instill further detail. The frame 44 comprises a gearbox 46 supported on apair of rods 48 reciprocable vertically through bearing blocks 50 bylinks 54 and bell cranks 52 keyed to a cross-shaft 56. The rods 48 arebiased upwardly against the bearing blocks 50 by springs 58. An actuator60 rotates the bell cranks 52 against the spring bias to move the framedownwardly for re-orientation of articles.

Depending from the gearbox 46 are twelve turning heads comprising pairsof fingers 62, one pair per article in the group. The fingers arerotatable 90° about shafts 64 from a position 62', FIG. 5, in which thearticles from an aligned lane of the conveyor 22 can be received betweeneach pair, to a position 62", FIG. 6, in which the long sides of thearticles are turned to lie transversely of the conveyor 22. The fingers62 are carried on the shafts 64 by bridging pieces 63.

The gearbox and its actuating mechanism are shown in more detail in FIG.10. The shafts 64 carry pinion gears 66 at their upper ends, engageablewith drive gears 68 keyed to shafts 70. Also keyed to shafts 70 arecranks 72 linked by a connecting rod 74. One of the cranks has anextension lever 76 on the opposite side of its shaft 70, acted on by anactuator 78 to turn all twelve shafts 64 together in the same direction.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show the transfer means. The paddle 42 is raised fromthe position shown in solid lines to its dotted line position 42" forthe return stroke by an actuator 80. The paddle 42 is keyed to a shaft82 to which a crank 84 is also keyed, having its other end pivotallyconnected to the rod of an actuator 80. Trunnions 86 mount the actuator80 in a carriage 88 moved by the rodless actuator 40.

If it is desired to load the articles 12 into the machine 14 with theirlong sides leading in the direction of arrow C, FIG. 2, as shown, thenthe re-orientating means 38 remains in its inoperative, raised position.If however it is desired to produce packs as shown on the left hand sideof FIG. 1, requiring the articles to be loaded in the direction of arrowC with their short sides leading, then the re-orientating means 38 islowered so that articles exiting the conveyor guides 30 are receivedbetween the pairs of fingers in their positions 62' illustrated in FIG.5, FIGS. 7 and 8 also showing the fingers 62 in this position. Actuator78 can then be used to turn the articles through 90°.

A sequence of steps in the turning of an article group and itsconsolidation for loading into the machine 14 by the transfer means 36is schematically illustrated in plan view in FIG. 13a. In step (a) thearticles 12 have been received from the guides 30 to lie between thefingers 62 beneath the bridging pieces 63. As shown, the backstop 32 hasbeen moved forward in the direction of arrow A, FIG. 2 to separate thegroup of articles from those held by the lane brakes 34 and align theleading edges of each article row with the leading edges of thecorresponding row of fingers 62. In step (b_(i)) the backstop (notshown) has been moved slightly further in the direction of arrow A toprovide clearance for turning the articles. As it turns, the rearwardrow of articles does not slide relative to the fingers and bridgingpieces 63. However, the rear faces of the forward row of articles areengaged by the left-hand fingers of the rearward row and are pushedforwardly between the forward fingers as shown in step (b_(ii)), untilthe left-hand rearward fingers and right-hand forward fingers clear eachother, as shown in step (b_(iii)). At this stage the rearward faces ofthe forward articles are approximately aligned with the rearward edgesof the forward fingers. In step (c), the fingers have completed their90° turn, with no further relative movement between them and thearticles. In step (d) the re-orientating means 38 have been raised torelease the articles 12 and backstop 32 has been moved in oppositedirection to arrow A in FIG. 2, to consolidate the two rows of articlesand align them with the paddle 42. In step (e) the paddle 42 is moved tothe left (in the direction of arrow C, FIG. 2) to consolidate thearticle group in that direction and transfer it to the machine 14. Thebackstop 32 acts as a guide during this process.

FIG. 13b shows an alternative turning sequence. It is similar to that ofFIG. 13a, except that backstop 32 is used initially to align eacharticle row centrally of the corresponding fingers, considered in thedirection of arrow A. In step (b_(i)) the forward row of articles beginsto be pushed through its corresponding fingers by the rearward articles,until at step (b_(ii)) the forward faces of the rearward articles meetthe right-hand forward fingers. These fingers then begin to push therearward articles through the rearward fingers, until step (b_(iv)) isreached, corresponding to step (b_(iii)) of FIG. 13a. Steps (c)-(e) ofFIG. 13b are identical to steps (c)-(e) of FIG. 13a. In step (b_(i)),FIG. 13b, it could equally well happen that any or all of the rearwardarticles begin to move relative to their fingers, instead of the forwardarticles. However by step (b_(iv)) the result will be the same.

If articles are to be loaded into the machine 14 without turning, there-orientating means remains in its inoperative, raised position and ifnecessary the backstop is used to align the article group with thepaddle 42 which is then moved in the direction of arrow c, FIG. 2, toconsolidate the group and transfer it to the machine 14.

In the device configuration shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 the turning fingers62 have been omitted from alternate front shafts 64a, and from all therear shafts 64b of the gearbox 46. In place of turning fingers 62, theother front shafts 64c carry extension plates 102 to which pairs ofinverted U-channel members 104 are fixed to form article turning heads106. Each channel member 104 in use engages a column of two articles andthus each turning head engages a sub-group 108 of 2×2 articles. Do thatadjacent sub-groups 108 do not interfere with each other as they turn,the spacing between the articles 12 of adjacent sub-groups is greaterthan the spacing of the channel members 104 in each turning head 106, togive the necessary clearances between turning heads. The lane guides 30of the infeed conveyor are appropriately spaced to supply the articles12 to the channel members 104 and the lane brakes 34 are likewiseappropriately spaced to operate on each queue of articles 12.

FIG. 16 shows the turning sequence. In step (a) the articles 12 havebeen received from the guides 30 to lie between the channel members 104.As shown, the backstop 32 has been moved forwards in the direction ofarrow A in FIG. 2 to separate the group of articles from those held bythe lane brakes 34 and centralise the two rows of articles in thechannel members 104. In step (b) the turning heads have begun to turneach article sub-group 108. In step (c) the turning heads 106 havecompleted their 90° turn. In step (d) the re-orientating means 38 havebeen raised to release the articles 12 from the channel members 104 andbackstop 32 has been moved in opposite direction to arrow A in FIG. 2,to consolidate the two rows of articles and align them with the paddle42. In step (e) the paddle 42 is moved to the left to consolidate thearticle group and transfer it to the machine 14, backstop 32 acting as aguide during this process.

Different turning head constructions to suit different article subgroupsizes and geometries will be readily apparent.

I claim:
 1. An infeed device for a packaging machine comprising:aninfeed conveyor carrying articles in a predetermined orientation in aplurality of parallel lanes; a group collator arranged to receive saidarticles from said lanes and which in use aligns a group of articles inone or more rows transverse to the infeed conveyor's direction oftravel; means for transferring the article group to the packagingmachine; re-orientating means being provided to turn sub-groups ofarticles in the group to a specified orientation for such transfer, eacharticle sub-group being turned about a respective axis normal to theplane of the infeed conveyor, and at least one adjacent pair of theplurality of lanes of articles being spaced from one another on theinfeed conveyor to allow turning of the sub-groups, the article transfermeans comprising a pusher arranged to push the group of articlestransversely off the infeed conveyor and into the packaging machine. 2.A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each sub-group consists of onearticle.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each sub-groupconsists of 2×2 articles.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein there-orientating means is selectively operable to turn the articlesthrough 90° or allow them to pass from the transfer means in theiroriginal orientation.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thetransfer means is used to consolidate the article group in thetransverse direction.
 6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein there-orientating means comprises turning heads engageable with thearticles in each sub-group and rotatable about vertical axes tore-orientate the article sub-groups.
 7. A device as claimed in claim 6,wherein the turning heads depend from a vertically reciprocable frame,whereby they may be moved selectively between operative and inoperativepositions.
 8. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the group collatorspaces the group from the remaining articles.
 9. A device as claimed inclaim 8 wherein the group collator comprises a backstop to arrest themovement of articles on the infeed conveyor and align them in thetransverse rows, and a respective lane brake for engaging an article ineach lane a predetermined number of articles away from the backstop, thebackstop being movable in the infeed conveying direction to space thearticle group from the braked articles.
 10. A device as claimed in claim9 wherein the backstop is used to consolidate the group of articles intoa compact array in the infeed conveying direction followingre-orientation.